Thanks to everyone who popped into our studio on Friday. It was great seeing such a variety of folks, and hope everyone enjoyed seeing some of the projects we’ve done over the years. Hopefully Liverpool Design Festival will do it again in 2012!

No related projects.

As part of Liverpool Design Festival we’ve been asked to take part in something called Open Studios, which is exactly what it sounds like… a number of design studios around the city opening their doors to the public. Time will tell whether it’s a good idea – if you’ve got a screw-loose then perhaps stick to some of the other wonderful events going on.

If you are a student, a fellow designer, or just have an interest in design then pop on down between 11am and 4pm next Friday, 7th October. You can see some of our recent projects, talk to team members, and there will be some bits and bobs from fellow studio inhabitants Thunder Chunky and The Renmen Project.

http://www.facebook.com/liverpooldesignfestival
http://www.twitter.com/designfest

Related projects:

1. People & Place website launches

Splinter’s Print Team were recently asked to design and brand materials for Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust’s (LCH) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 20th September 2011. These included the concept ‘apps’ that encompassed the seven services that LCH provide and then using these in printed materials, Powerpoint slide templates and a flick-book Flash presentation. Print Production Manager Kev McCann attended the event and his story of the day is below.

As I stepped off the train at Aintree station on the 20th September 2011, the rain began to fall heavily. As I walked to the racecourse and became damper I wondered if this was a precursor to what lay ahead for the afternoon.

I am glad to report that this was not the case. I stepped out of the lift into LCH bustling ‘market place’. Everywhere you looked there where stalls showing their wares and advertising the services that LCH provides (and a few treats too!) I felt like Harry Potter on his first visit to Diagon Alley! After a quick mingle we were asked to take our seats in the conference suite upstairs for the main event, fear entered my mind as I wondered what lay in store and more importantly, would I make it home in time for Granada Reports!

The AGM was compared by LCH’s very own Zoran, (if you imagine a younger, taller, funnier Gyles Brandreth you’re nearly there!) His dulcet tones recited Shakespeare’s ‘The Seven Ages of Man’ whilst a dancer interpreted her way through the performance. An interesting insight to what lay ahead.

The audience where then treated to the inside stories of the many services that are crammed into seven core services that LCH offer by a mixture of slides and real life accounts from LCH staff, patients and customers who have both worked with and benefitted from throughout the years. Passionate speeches where made by everyone on the stage, real life accounts from young mums, prison warders, recycled teenagers and an armchair exercise session from the Liveability Service that not even the mad waves of a red card from a lady at the back of the conference suite could stop!

The ‘seven stages/services’ went over their allotted times but each spoke with such a passion and enthusiasm about the services that they offer, it was not surprising that they found it hard to cram everything into their time slot.

We then had a comfort break before the second half of proceeding were underway and with a numb bum I made my way back to the bustling market place for a cuppa and a piece of fruit. I was in awe of what I had just seen and heard upstairs and the stalls held more purpose now, I made my way to the Innovations and Ideas stall and jotted “why doesn’t everyone know what LCH has to offer?”

The second half of proceedings had a more formal feel with the Board expressing their thanks and exuberance for the services who had spoken, a gospel version of ‘Lean on Me’ accompanied an innovative ‘iTunes’ presentation which showed even more of LCH’s crown jewels.

I have always been unaware of how much Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust’s caring professionals and proud staff do. They have always been hidden and unspoken about and this is something that (if NHS budgets allow!) should be changed.

This outsider felt uplifted as he left the conference venue, in awe of LCH.

Related projects:

1. Break the monopoly

A fun job we worked on recently was the NML Kids site, which is an off-shoot of the main National Museums Liverpool site targeted specifically at kids. It gave us an excuse to have fun with characters and lots of colour, and it also houses Escape from the Mummy’s tomb, which is a game we made for NML a while back.

And to top it off, the characters from the site have even manifested themselves in physical form, as shown in the photo below!

Related projects:

1. Escape from the Mummy!

Big congrats go out to Elliott, who did a placement with us last year, for being awarded ‘Best in Show’ at his recent graduation show for his project ‘TwentyFour‘. Best of all, he got to meet Mavis from Coronation Street!

Elliot has a great eye for design and is planning a move to London in the near future, so if there’s any agencies looking for an intern then take a look at a selection of his work below, or over on his new site www.ECPRSN.com.

No related projects.

{ NO AGENCIES PLEASE }

We’re a tad busy here at Splinter and are on the look out for a new junior to support, and work with our digital design team.

Essential skills:

• Flash (AS2 essential)

Desirable skills:

• Design for web (with understanding of layout & typography)
• Adobe suite (general skills)
• Experience in the production of web banners
• HTML & CSS

Absolutely essential skills:

Terms of employment include a 3-month trial and 4 day per week starting salary of £14k per annum. We are looking for someone to start work asap after interview.

If you think you fit the bill please forward examples of your work and CV to design@splinter.co.uk

Deadline: Friday 3rd June
Please be available for interview w/c 6 June

No related projects.

As you may have seen in the news recently, the BBC have started moving into their northern home at MediaCityUK in Salford. It’s a big strategic move for the BBC and we were chuffed when we won the pitch to design and build the new BBC North website. It went live last week, and is full of information about the move, as well as audio & video content, event listings and profiles of a wide variety of BBC staff members.

From a design point of view, it was a great opportunity to dig into the BBC’s new Global Experience Language as well. If you haven’t already seen the GEL, there’s a great article on the BBC blogs.

So a big hello to everyone who is making the move to Salford, and hopefully we’ll get the chance to work with some of you soon!

No related projects.

What the tenants’ organisations liked in particular was our use of transparent and easy to understand performance graphs.

“Thank you for all your work on this and for helping us to make it a success – I have other housing associations calling me and asking for copies of it and the TSA have used it in a report on good practice.”
Andrew Bullock, Communications Officer

Related projects:

1. Edge Hill Annual Report 2009

The website, designed and produced by Splinter, has just gone live. Whether you are left-leaning or not, give the site a visit at www.cityofradicals.co.uk.

Related projects:

1. WipEout HD

The resources we have produced are designed to clearly define the Clwydian Range offering and raise awareness of all the area has to offer visitors. To check out more detail on the work we have done check out the Clwydian Range case study.

It has already been noted how useful the Sense of Place Toolkit has been for local businesses – giving them easy access to the words and pictures they need to promote themselves and the Clwydian Range.

Related projects:

1. Clwydian Range brand development